Amla out as Proteas wait on Steyn

South Africa will be without key batsman Hashim Amla for the second Test against Pakistan while there is also an injury doubt surrounding premier fast bowler Dale Steyn. Losing the world number one-ranked bowler Steyn on top of Amla, who tops the ICC's batting rankings, would be a huge blow for the Proteas, who need to win in Dubai to claim a share of the two-Test series.

Amla is back in South Africa with his heavily pregnant wife while Steyn has a hamstring strain which will be assessed again on Wednesday.

Proteas team manager Dr Mohammed Moosajee said: "Hashim's wife hasn't given birth yet, so he won't be playing in tomorrow's Test match."

"Dale sustained what was initially thought to be a right hamstring strain but fortunately the MRI scan revealed that there was no major pathology so we are treating it as tightness. He will undergo a fitness test either this afternoon or at the latest in the morning," added Moosajee.

"The challenge with a tight hamstring is the fear of aggravating it. It could easily become a strain or progress into a tear, so we will be managing it carefully especially with a long tour ahead of us."